Projects / Programmes
Functional analysis of non-coding RNAs in Parkinson's disease
| Code |
Science |
Field |
Subfield |
| 3.03.00 |
Medical sciences |
Neurobiology |
|
| Code |
Science |
Field |
| B640 |
Biomedical sciences |
Neurology, neuropsychology, neurophysiology |
MicroRNA, SnoRNA, Non-coding RNA, RNA regulation, Parkinson’s disease
Researchers (8)
Organisations (1)
Abstract
Recent evidence shows that regulation of brain plasticity in Parkinson’s disease (PD) and other neurodegenerative disorders may be regulated at the level before proteins are made, that is at the level of RNA. This pathophysiological process may be guided by non-coding RNAs (ncRNA), such as microRNAs (miRNA) and small nucleolar RNA (snoRNA). These RNAs do not carry the message for the making of protein, but have other important functions in cells such as regulation of translation and modification of their target RNAs. The aim of the proposed project is to use the ncRNA specific microarrays to identify defective expression in PD and to investigate the ncRNA-dependent regulatory pathways that may be perturbed in PD. Expression levels of miRNAs and snoRNAs will be analysed in a mouse model of PD and validated using quantitative RT-PCR and in situ hybridisation. The consequence of these changes on the predicted mRNA targets of ncRNAs will also be analysed. Disease related significance of the findings will be analysed in the post-mortem brain samples from PD patients. This project will also define new targets for therapeutic intervention in PD, in particular using the rapidly developing RNA-based therapies as well as provide a better understanding of the molecular mechanisms of brain plasticity associated with PD.
Significance for science
The main aim of this project was to investigate the function of non-coding RNAs in Parkinson's disease. In the recent years there is increasing awareness of the importance of non-coding RNAs and RNA metabolism for the biological processes. With the advent of new techniques and technologies we are able to focus on the role of RNA in biological processes and disease. Beside the numerous high impact scientific publications, 2006 Nobel Prize in Physiology and Medicine was awarded for the discovery of RNA interference. Beside providing better understanding of the ncRNA related molecular mechanisms in Parkinson's disease, this project will define new targets for therapeutic intervention possibly using the rapidly developing RNA-based therapies.
Significance for the country
There is increasing awareness of the importance of non-coding RNAs in the regulation of biological and pathological processes. The proposed project is a basic medical sciences project which aims to investigate the molecular mechanism of Parkinson's disease at the level of non-coding RNAs. There are about 4000 Parkinson's disease patients in Slovenia and after Alzheimer's disease it is the second most common neurodegenerative disease associated with old age. This project will enable some cutting-edge research to expand molecular neurosciences research in Slovenia. Furthermore, the function of non-coding RNAs is being researched in other biomedical fields and this project would bring some of the know-how to Slovenia, thus enabling the expansion of the technology to research Alzheimer's disease. Additionally, we are developing the collaboration between the four applicant institutions in Slovenia, with the MRC Center for Neurodegeneration Research from King's College London, UK, and MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology from Cambridge, UK.
Most important scientific results
Annual report
2008,
2009,
final report,
complete report on dLib.si
Most important socioeconomically and culturally relevant results
Annual report
2008,
2009,
final report,
complete report on dLib.si
